St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-21
The Interstate Commission Hears Argu-
ments From representatives Of
All Sections,
A narrowing Picture Drawn of the AL
legged Damage to Boston's Big Ez-
port Trade.
Railroad Men From M1nnesota AiSo
Unload Bundle OF GrieV.
ances.
JUDGE t,banaier Thinks f. s. Bond
Will be the st. Paul's Next
President.

w ASHINGTON, April ~. -C' AA'
rick, president OF the Pacific LUMBER coin
pany, and E. G. Williams, president OF the
Redwood Manufacturing association Oh
San Francisco, have telegraphed the inter-
state commerce commission as follows:
Our two corporations employing S,O0O TO
10000 men and about 30.000.OO0 capital nave
| addressed you by mail stating tnat our east
ern business has been entirely DESTROYED ny
the operation of the law and asking your IN
terposition on our behalf Meanwhile, Will
you allow the roads over which we have been
operating to give old rates and SO revive our
business with the East, provided the rate is
open and available for all?
A. Lusk & Co., of San Francisco. have
telegrapbed:
The fruit interests of this state, which are
of great and growing importance, are seri-
ously jeopardized by the workings of the
Interstate commerce bill. 1nasmuch as this
interest cannot avail itself of water competi-
ton we respectfully ask that section be
suspended, that these interests be not en-
tirely paralyzed, and great loss ensue.
'CYCLERS HEARD FROM.
Fl. S. Rogers, counsel for the League OF
American Wheelmen and secretary of the
kenton Wheel club. of Coylngton, KY,
complains to the commissioners that the
! COvington & Cincinnati Suspension Bridge
company compel bicyclers to dismount and
walk over their bridge. and yet have to pay
an extra charge for their bicycles. threaten
ing arrest if a wheelman attempts to ride
over. The bridge has street railways over
it, hence the writer assumes that it falls
under the provision of the the interstate
commerce act. Ex-senator Van Wyck has
notified the commissioners of his purpose
to be present tomorrow at the hearing of
the Transcontinental railroad interests.
The representatives of various business in
terests eentering in Boston were present in
the rooms of the commissioners at 10 o'clock
this morning and the hearing OF their argu-
ments began at once. Judge Soule, attor-
ney of the Boston & Albany road, said the
route taken by shipments to Boston was
not the same as that taken to New York,
but was between 60 and 100 miles longer.
Of course the rates to New York were
fixed bv the shorter line. There had grown
up a large export trade in Boston, made
possible by an arrangement with the rail-
roads which brought traffic at the same
rates charged by the New York roads to
that city. This trade made it possible to
maintain a line of steamers to England,
which line could not be maintained with
out this traffic. Hence the question be-
came one of greater moment to Boston
interests than would appear merely from
the amount of traffic itself. He
SUBMITTED A STATEMENT
showing the extent of the traffic referred to.
MI Mills, general traffic manager of the
Boston Il Albany road, was sworn, and set
forth in greater detail the history OF the
growth of the traffic which is said to be
jeopardzed. and the extent of the interests
involved The local rate from the West to
Boston was about 5 cents greater on grain
and certain kinds of produce than that upon
the same merchandise intended for export
If the local rates were charged OH the eX-
port traffic it would kill it. A certain por-
ton of this traffic came on through bills of
lading from the West to foreign ports.
About an equal amount was brought to
Boston and held there by dealers until they
could see favorable market abroad. 1t
was only upon this last class that relief was
asked. The Boston dealer wasn't aDle to
avail himself of the through bills. They
were given by. the Western roads to West
ern men. In reply to Commissioners
.Schoonmaker and Bragg, Mr. Mills stated
that the rates upon oil from the PennSylva-
mia oil regions were higher than before the
law went into effect. There was discrimi-
nation, but there was none from these sta
tions. The company did not know the
Standard Oil company in any OF these
transactions. 1t received the oil from the
New York Central. but, with all due re-
spect to the commission, was he
COMPELLED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
relating to these matters? He was willing
to state anything he knew respecting mat
tiers subsequent to the date when the law
took effect, but were the previous matters
to form part of this inquiry? The COM
mission thought the inquiries were legiti-
mate. The witness said there were rebates
upon oil and upon other commodities. His
road, he repeated, did not know the STAN
dard Oil company. They only knew the
Boston refnery's lines. to which organiza-
ton it delivered the oil. 1t had made re-
bates on Western produce, the beneticiaries
of which were the Boston exporters. The
Western through shippers had no claim for
a rebate. They got all equivalent in their
through bills of lading. George A. Torrey,
attorney of the Fitchburg road, addressed
the commission. He exhibited maps of his
line and photograph of the immense wharf
and elevator property OF the company,
which would become useless if the former
privileges were not restored. Mr.. TOrrey
called Mr.. Whitmore, general traffic man
ager of the Fitchburg road, to state to the
commission. under oath, the difficulties of
doing the export business under other than
the old methods. One of these was found
in the fact that
FREIGHTS VARIED
from week to week, yet through rates can
not be changed by the railroads without
giving notice in advance. The Fitchburg
company was entirely dependent upon Bos-
ton traffic for it's prosperity and for this rea-
son was perhaps more deeply. interested
than the other companies represented here.
John Portions, general traffic manager of
the Grand Trunk, representing OIL this oc-
casion the Central Vermont and Boston &
Lowell roads, addressed the commission.
These lines had about 1000 tons Of freight
day for export, besides a large traffic of
various kinds from Canada and the West
for the coastwise If they were refused
| the privilege of making rebate, New York
would handle both the export and
the coasting trade William H. Lin
coin, agent of line of transatlantic
steamers, then addressed the commission
under oath. The commission he said could
hardly appreciate the gravity of the ques-
tions presented. The whole business of
Boston was involved in this matter, both
local and export.
THIS EXPORT BUSINESS
had grown up within the last fifteen years.
1t was a fact not generally known that Bos-
| ton was the second port of the country in
| the amount of its exports and imports.
This trade had all been built upon the basis
of equality with New York on rates. This
did not mean equality in all respects. New
| York had an open waterway from the
| West, and this gave her an advantage. 1t
meant merely this equality was such that
| the average rate of ocean freight during the
last season had been from penny to a
penny and half in her favor. This aues-
| ton was of such Importance that he had
cabled his people In Liverpool the day be-